Movado Circa (Ref. 0606570) Dressy Three-Hander

Clearly not offering something new and exciting in the realm of industrial design, this classic-styled Movado Circa (Ref. 0606570) wrist watch still makes a very nice choice for a person who normally prefers a nice B-Uhr or a 500M diver with a pair of jeans and a sweater, but needs something to accompany a rented tuxedo for the BFF’s impulsive wedding without breaking the bank.

Although the passage above may sound a little condescending to some, but in fact I like this modest dress watch.

At a recommended price of $795, the watch looks quite affordable considering the brand’s decent build quality, as well as the fact that it is powered by a Swiss made quartz movement.

Alas, Movado doesn’t say a word about the exact model of the caliber, they, as far as I know, usually equip their timekeepers with mechanisms that tend to be accurate and do not require too much attention to them.

Another good thing about this piece is the design. Yes, it is secondary, to say the least, but, with its “gold-toned” dauphine hands and applied hour markers and numerals, the JLC-styled dial is clear, sort of reserved, and is easy to read in a single glance: something that you will rarely see in this price range (especially among the numerous offerings from Japanese brands) where everyone seems to go over the top in order to get your attention. This is especially true if you take a moment to compare the three-hander with the Circa Chronograph (ref. 0606576, see photo below.)

The only thing one would probably miss here is patches of Superluminova on hands and, preferably, hour markers, but, hey, it’s just a dress watch: it is supposed to look as laconic as possible and, unlike better advertised brands, Movado simply can’t break the rules operating in a below-$800 segment.

Quite predictably, the watch comes in a compact, lean body only 40 millimeters in diameter that, thanks for its short lugs, makes the watch available for the great majority of potential buyers: those with average and narrow wrists will be able to wear one without any discomfort, while guys of stockier build won’t feel like the timepiece is too small for them.

Rated for 30 meters (enough for most places where you would go in a tuxedo or a formal suit), it sports a comfortable-looking setting crown and features a sapphire crystal on the top. The case back is, of course, covered with a solid piece of metal, since there is nothing terribly sexy about inner workings of a quartz movement.